Community Grief and Agony: Reflection on the Loss of Two Young Brothers in Siaya who Drowned in a Quarry

• EDITORIAL BRIEF: The loss of two young lives is a tragedy, and the community is grieving. It is essential that steps are taken to ensure the safety of children and prevent similar accidents from happening in the future. This can be achieved through the implementation of safety measures around quarries and other water bodies, as well as increased awareness and education for the community. By working together, we can prevent such incidents and ensure the safety of our children.

Two young brothers, Brighton (8) and Arnold (12), drowned in a quarry on Monday afternoon in Yenga village, Obambo sub-location, Alego Usonga sub-county, Siaya County, filling the residents with grief and agony. The children were pupils at Madede primary school and drowned while trying to swim in the stagnant water-filled quarry.

According to Carmen Ombajo, the Assistant Chief of Obambo sub-location, the children were sent to a shop before they decided to branch off to swim in the quarry. The younger boy slipped and fell into the deep end of the quarry, and the other boy followed to rescue him, but unfortunately, both of them drowned.

The two bodies have since been retrieved from the quarry and taken to Siaya County referral hospital mortuary, where a post-mortem will be carried out. Mrs. Ombajo urged parents to caution their children against going near quarries and other water bodies, especially during the rainy season when most of them are filled. She also warned road construction companies, which leave quarries unprotected, to desist from that habit to prevent further loss of lives.

The Assistant Chief further stated that they had raised numerous concerns about abandoned quarries in the area, but nothing has been done about it. The incident serves as a reminder of the dangers of unprotected quarries and stagnant water bodies, and the need for urgent action to prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future.